Normal monsoon for this year predicted

There is some good news for the country's farmers and the economy. The country’s only private weather forecasting agency, Skymet has predicted that Monsoon 2019 will be normal in its preliminary Southwest Monsoon forecast for 2019. It said there is a more than 50 per cent chance that India will get normal rainfall.

The CEO of the agency, Mr. Jatin Singh, added that there is only a small probability of excessive rainfall in Monsoon season starting June.

Rainfall between 96 percent and 104 percent of the long-term average of about 89 centimeters (35 inches) is considered normal, Mr. Singh said, adding that rain is likely to be in the lower end of the normal range.

Farmers depend heavily on the annual Monsoon season as it brings almost 70 per cent of rainfall the country receives. A good Monsoon season is directly related to good agriculture produce which is crucial for the country's economy. In 2018, India received 91 per cent of rainfall during the season.